Sirius Sparks
by Lessa Solarem
Summary: Pg for minor swearing. Sirius's girlfriend! Need I say more? Be kind, please, it's my first HP fic! Please read and review! ~COMPLETE~


A/N: Please don't say anything. I had to. The rabid Nazguls and orcs made me! Not to mention rabid people-whose-names-begin-with-Worm (i.e. Wormtail, and Wormtongue, outta LoTR)!!!!!! AHH!!!!!!!!!!!! Don't hate. I just couldn't resist. Also, this is my first HP fic. PLEASE leave me alone! Don't flame! Constructive criticism and reviews are always welcome, but no flames.  
  
P.S. This is AU, so things are going to happen MY WAY. Please don't read this if you don't like things like that.  
  
Elizabeth Whitecrow (not my fault, I was at a loss. Took this from my friends' names) walked down the hall. She was thinking about her latest crush. There was always someone. Weekly, her friends said. They also said she was boy crazy. That could have been. Who really cared? It's not like anything came out of it anyway. None of the guys she went crazy over for a week ever liked her back. How was she supposed to live like this? All her friends had been dating since first year. She hadn't even had a boyfriend once and here she was in fifth. No wonder she was boy crazy. There was no one to tie her down.  
  
Elizabeth, or Lessa as she liked to be called, was five ten. She wasn't remarkable looking, or so she believed. She had blond hair down to her shoulders that was always unruly unless she tried to do something with it. She didn't, though, it was usually too much trouble. She had light blue eyes the color of a summer sky and her skin was as pale as cream. She wasn't actually all that bad looking. It was just that no one had ever noticed, or bothered to tell her.  
  
As she wandered down the semi-dark halls she stopped. What had that been? She'd thought she'd heard something. She decided it must have been Peeves, the school poltergeist. Her thoughts turned to home. She didn't much care for her parents, and Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry felt more like home than anything else ever had. She loved it here. There was so much to learn! There was so much to do.  
  
She was the top student in her year, with James Potter and that annoying Sirius Black in close seconds. She was on the Quidditch team with those two, as a Chaser with James. Black was a Beater. Sometimes, during practice, he'd hit a Bludger at her, just to piss her off. It worked too! He was so annoying! And yet. . .  
  
Her best friend was Lily Evans, who was currently dating James Potter. Good for them, Lessa thought. They were perfect for each other.  
  
There were three friends of James's. There was Remus, whom Lessa liked very much. He was smart and nice, and kinda cute. He was sort of tall, with light brown, almost blonde hair. He had green eyes. Then there was Peter. She didn't trust him at all. People who hung around the most powerful people they could find were always bad news. He had thin brown hair and beady almost black eyes. He was short and fat. He looked like the rat he could turn into. She knew the Marauders-Sirius, James, Peter, and Remus- were Animagi, but so was she. She'd never rat them out. It wasn't her way. Then there was Sirius Black. He was a complete practical joker, you never saw him without a smile. He always made you laugh if you were depressed, except if you were in Slytherin. Then he tried to make you feel worse. No one liked Slytherin people though. They were all mean. Sirius was very cute, if you went in for that sort of guy, and he was constantly surrounded by girls. Sirius was what people might call tall, dark, and handsome. He was tall, about six foot in fifth year, with black hair and sapphire eyes you could lose yourself in. Constantly with Sirius was James himself. They were best friends and it was only in the direst of circumstances that you saw one without the other. James had messy black hair and nice brown eyes. He was cute too.  
  
Then there was Lessa's only real friend, Lily Evans. She had beautiful, thick red hair and gorgeous emerald green eyes. James Potter was the envy of many of the boys at school.  
  
Everyone's worst enemy was Severus Snape. He was an evil bastard. He had greasy black hair and cold, calculating black eyes. He was as horrible to everyone as he could be, except those in Slytherin. He was also involved in Quidditch, playing a Slytherin Seeker. Gryffindor had always won, though.  
  
There it was again, that sound. It almost sounded like giggling. She'd been making her way from the library to Gryffindor tower and hadn't really been paying attention. She was in trouble now! Peeves was almost as bad as Black! Argh!  
  
"BOO!!!!" Someone jumped out from behind a nearby statue and Lessa screamed. She couldn't help it! She hadn't been prepared for it, though she should have known Sirius Black would be at it again.  
  
"It's not funny, Black!" she told him, though it was no use. He was rolling on the floor laughing really hard. "Dammit, someday I AM gonna get you for this! And for all the other times!" That only made him laugh harder. She stomped off to the common room to finish her homework.  
  
James stepped out from behind another statue as Sirius began to calm down. "Come on, Sirius. You know you want to say something to her! Why don't you stop teasing and pranking and tell her how you feel?"  
  
Wiping his eyes, which had started to tear up from laughing so hard, and standing up, he replied, "Come on, yourself. You know how she feels about me! She hates me! This would give her ample ammunition for a prank or humiliation, or she might think I'm pulling another one on her! She'll never take me seriously."  
  
"Of course she will. No one can't. It's your name!"  
  
Laughing at the old joke, the two boys headed back to the common room themselves.  
  
A dark figure stepped out of the shadows. "Well, well, Black. It seems as though you have a little crush. Maybe I can use this to my advantage. . ." Smiling, Severus Snape snuck back to the Slytherin dormitories.  
  
Back in the girls' dormitory, Lessa and Lily were talking. "I can't believe it! He's SO immature!!! I hate him!" Lessa was obsessing about Sirius's latest prank.  
  
"Come off it, Lizzy. You know you like him. You just have to admit it." Lily, obviously was being far from helpful.  
  
"Firstly, don't call me Lizzy. You KNOW I hate that. Second I DO NOT HAVE A CRUSH ON SIRIUS BLACK!!!!!"  
  
"Then why are you blushing?" Busted. . . Lily thought.  
  
"Because I'm mad, that's why! First Sirius with his immaturity, now you thinking I like him, when he's the biggest. . .second biggest asshole on the face of this Earth!!!"  
  
Damn, Lily thought. "Oh yeah, Snape always come in first in that category. Speaking of boys, I think my boy toy has just arrived. See ya later, hun."  
  
"Ok," Lessa said. She was still grumpy. She went back down into the common room to finish homework. "Oh great," she muttered. Black was there. Fortunately, the rest of the night passed uneventfully, for the Marauders being there.  
  
The next day, the Gryffindors went down to the Great Hall. It was a weekday, so there were classes. Fortunately, the Gryffindors had no doubles with the Slytherins.  
  
"Hey, Whitecrow!!!"  
  
"Great, the world's biggest asshole wants to talk to me," Lessa mumbled to Lily. To Snape, she said, "What do you want this time?"  
  
"Only to tell you that you have an admirer!"  
  
"Oh yeah?" she replied, not believing it. "Who?"  
  
"Sirius Black!"  
  
The entire Hall quieted. Sirius Black had a crush? This was unheard of! And on the biggest geek in the school!! Everyone turned to look at Sirius. Surely it wasn't true. Surely he'd think of a witty comeback. He always did.  
  
Sirius looked around. Oh, great. Everyone in the Hall was staring. What to do? Oh, yes. That would work. . .  
  
Boldly, he walked right up to her. "Lessa, I love you," he said to her, and kissed her right on the lips. The entire Hall gasped, then applauded. Sirius grinned, the bowed. He'd gotten out of that one just fine, thank you very much. And rather enjoyed it when it came right down to it. . .  
  
Or not. While everyone else in the Hall was laughing and applauding, one glance at Lessa told him she was exceptionally pissed off. "What the hell do you think you're playing at?" she demanded angrily, then ran out of the Hall, sobbing. He watched, dumbfounded. She hadn't felt that?  
  
Lessa ran back up to Gryffindor dormitory and was not seen in any class that day, which was unusual. She was always in every class. By lunch, people started to get worried. In Transfiguration, Professor McGonagall waved off their concerns. "Never you all mind. It's her own business."  
  
Meanwhile, Lessa was laying down. It was all so scary. Firstly, it was her first ever kiss. Second, she'd felt a. . .spark. It was the only way to describe it. He hadn't felt it. From the way he'd been carrying on, he hadn't felt a thing and didn't care. Or maybe he did. . . Uh-uh, Lessa told herself firmly. He doesn't. You hate him. He was playing with you. Again. Yet she couldn't stop her thoughts from going down that road. He'd lingered, for the slightest moment, afterward. Maybe he hadn't wanted her to know, nor anyone else, so he'd decided to play the goof again. Maybe he did feel. . .  
  
She heard the door open. She knew it'd be Lily, so she pretended to be asleep. Lily quietly changed into pajamas and went to bed. Lessa was left alone with her dark thoughts.  
  
The next morning, she was determinedly cheerful. She didn't want the sympathetic looks people were giving her. She didn't want the pitying looks people were giving her. She didn't want anyone asking if she was okay. She was just fine.  
  
Sirius was abnormally depressed. No one understood why. No one, that is, except James.  
  
"Come on, Sirius. Cheer up."  
  
"You saw the way she looked at me. You were there."  
  
"I think she's just confused. Give her some time."  
  
"She won't even look at me any more, James! I can't take it! I want to apologize, but I'm always headed off by Lily, who won't let me near her! What can I do?"  
  
"Write her a letter."  
  
"What?"  
  
"A letter. I'll deliver it for you, if you want. I'm not forbidden to be near her."  
  
"Oh, James, thank you!! That's the best idea you've ever had, and that IS saying something!"  
  
"Go get writing boy, or you'll never be done."  
  
Sirius gave a smart salute. "Sir, yes SIR!" Then he grinned and left.  
  
The next day, James sought Lessa out.  
  
"Hey, Lizzy!"  
  
"Don't call me that, James!"  
  
"Sorry, but it's the only way to get your attention when your nose is buried in a book. This is for you." He handed her the letter.  
  
"Oh, thank you. . ." She knew who it was from. She had half a mind to rip it up. She was too curious. "See ya later, James, at practice, right?"  
  
"Yup, at practice! See ya!"  
  
Lessa slid off to the library to read what Sirius had to say.  
  
Lessa,  
  
I am so sorry about what I did to you. I had no other course of action. You have no idea how hard it is for someone to just announce something like that. Even if it isn't true. Please, please, PLEASE don't be mad at me any more than usual. I meant no offense by it. I understand that I was completely ignorant of your feelings and a total jackass besides. I'll understand if you never want to talk to me again, but then who will I tease and unceasingly annoy? No one gets me like you do.  
  
Sirius  
  
P.S.  
  
Don't get mad at James for giving you this. He was just doing me a favor, since Lily chased me off whenever I tried to talk to you and apologize.  
  
Lessa couldn't believe what she held in her hands. Did he mean it? If he'd said it in public she wouldn't believe him, but in a letter. . .She decided to believe the letter. She also decided to forget what she'd felt. At practice that night, when he hit a Bludger at her experimentally, she yelled at him. Just like normal. He grinned, happy things were normal again and his secret was still hidden.  
  
The rest of fifth year and all of sixth year passed uneventfully. Things were as normal as normal can be at Hogwarts. Then came seventh year. . .  
  
Lessa walked up to the train for Hogwarts. She was having problems with her trunk because it was so heavy this year. She was taking a few more classes, plus she was helping Lily with the Head Girl thing. She was proud of Lily and James for being made Head Boy and Girl. She was happy where she was. As she tried to heave her trunk on board, she stepped on something Snape, the evil git, had put there for this purpose and fell backwards. . .  
  
Suddebly she stopped falling. "Need some help?" a familiar, teasing voice inquired.  
  
Turning red, she turned and said, "Shut up, Black! Blame Snape for that one, see?"  
  
"I know!" he said, holding up his hands. "All I did was ask an innocent question and she snaps at me! That hurts so!" He turned away, pretending to wipe a tear from his eye.  
  
Even though she knew he was acting, she relented. "Okay, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have reacted like that."  
  
"Okay," he said, turning back around, giving her one of his token grins. "Now I will repeat my question. Do you need help with that?"  
  
Lessa nodded and together they heaved it on to the train. "Jeez, what'd you put in there, rocks?" he asked teasingly. He opened her trunk and took a look in it. He picked up one of her books and flipped through it, then set it back down. "I pity you. You're gonna have a tough time this year."  
  
Lessa, now a full-grown woman, growled playfully and took a light swing at his arm. He caught her hand, as she'd known he would. They play wrestled for a while, then he left to go find the Marauders and she settled down to read. When she opened her book, though, she got a surprise. In it, was a letter. She opened it, wondering what she would find.  
  
Lessa,  
  
I couldn't say it to your face. You don't know what it's like. Well, maybe you do, but that's not the point.  
  
She groaned. Sirius! When had he. . .Oh. Then. He'd put the note in her book when he'd flipped through it. She continued reading.  
  
It's very hard to say this sort of thing to a person's face, so I figured I'd tell you when I wasn't there. To be specific, in the form of this letter.  
  
You don't know how often my thoughts float back to fifth year, to that day I kissed you. You don't know how often I wished I'd done something different. Something that told you what I now have to say.  
  
It's so much easier to say things in a letter, have you noticed that? Sorry, I know I'm off topic, but I'm reluctant to say it. The question that really haunts my mind is how did he know? How did Snape know? Why did he say it? Well, maybe that doesn't haunt my mind. It's obvious. He did it to humiliate me. The truth is, I don't know how he found out.  
  
Lessa gasped. Could he mean. . .Did he really. . . She kept reading.  
  
The other truth is, he's right. He told the truth, for a change. I am, you might say, your admirer. I love you. There. I've said it. Written it. Whatever. The point is, it's out. I've loved you ever since I first saw you. You're beautiful, intelligent, kind. . .I could go on. I know you probably don't feel the same way, but I thought you should know about this. If you feel the need to punch my lights out, or never speak to me again, please feel free. I just can't forget the kiss I should never have given you. The kiss that sent shivers through me. It still does, even after all this time. I felt something then that told me this was right. I'm sorry. I'll stop now.  
  
Sirius  
  
  
  
Lessa looked thoughtfully at the note. He meant it. She could tell. Her question was, what to do about it. Wait, there was more.  
  
P.S.  
  
Please tell James I gave this to you, so he'll stop bugging me. He's been after me to tell you for years. Ever since he found out in second year. I'm sick of it. Grr!!!  
  
Lessa laughed. That was Sirius all right! Her Sirius. Up until the time she'd read his words, she hadn't realized that she really loved him too. She smiled a secret smile as she read and re-read the letter over and over. When Lily came in and asked what was up with her, she only smiled her secret smile. She knew what to do about it! Revenge. . .and something sweeter.  
  
A few days later, Lessa decided to put her plan into action. She walked up to Sirius after class one day. "Hi," she said.  
  
He seemed somewhat surprised. "Hi," he replied. "What's up?"  
  
"This," she said. She threw her arms around his neck and kissed him full on. Lily, James, and Remus blew up cheering and clapping.  
  
When the kiss ended, they were both breathless. "Whoa," they said together.  
  
"I found your note," she whispered.  
  
"Kinda figured," he said breathlessly. "Does this mean. . ." he stopped.  
  
"Yes," she said. He looked really happy. They walked to their next class, hand in hand, envious male and female stares alike following them.  
  
The rest of the year passed quickly, happily, and easily for the Marauders plus two. It wasn't a hard year, academically. The Marauders plus two were always to be seen together, and Lessa helped any of them that needed help, though she still didn't trust Peter. They all passed easily.  
  
Romantically, it was a fun year. All except Peter had dates to the end-of- the-year seventh year dance. James was with Lily, Sirius with Lessa, and Remus with a girl named Daphne.  
  
The Marauders were full of pranks as usual. Now, though, they had Sirius's and James's genius and resourcefulness plus Lessa's and Lily's genius and ingenuity. Thus, they all came to write the Marauder's Map. They used their fake names, Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, Prongs, Silverwing, and Lampeyes. Moony, Remus, was a werewolf. Wormtail, Peter, was a rat. Padfoot, Sirius, was a big, shaggy dog. Prongs, James, was a stag. Silverwing, Lessa, was a peregrine falcon. Lampeyes, Lily, was a cat.  
  
Having graduated Hogwarts, the lot of them were left to determine the course of their lives. James decided he wanted to marry Lily, and did so. He had a significant inheritance, but both worked anyway. Lessa decided, against Sirius's better judgment (he was very protective of her now) to be an Auror, a Dark wizard catcher. Remus wanted to lay back and see where life took him. In other words, he couldn't find work. Sirius started trying to open a joke shop, and succeeded. He decided to call it Zonko's and it was located in Hogsmeade. (A/N: Hey, it worked for the story line! You all, if you've read any of my other stuff, know what I'm like!!!) Lessa and Sirius decided against marrying. They were having too much fun right then.  
  
Then came the horrible news. Voldemort was after Lily and James. They got together and decided a Fidelius Charm would be their best hope. Sirius immediately volunteered to be the Secret Keeper to keep the Potters and their one-year-old son safe. They agreed. Then, right before the charm was performed, Sirius came up with a better idea. Peter should be the Secret Keeper, he said. Peter. Voldemort will come after me, never dream we'd use Peter. . . After some debate, it was decided. Against Lessa's better judgment, Peter was used. Afterwards, they'd feel they should have listened to Lessa. She'd feel like she should have fought harder. In any case. . .  
  
A few weeks later, Lessa and Sirius took their relationship to the next level. They both had been wanting it for so long, it almost seemed perfectly natural to do it. The next morning, Sirius woke up and remembered he had to check on Peter today. He didn't want to, but he had no choice. He got up carefully and dressed quietly, so as not to wake Lessa up. It didn't work though.  
  
"Where are you going?" she asked without opening her eyes.  
  
"To check on Peter, hun. It's necessary."  
  
"I know. Be back soon."  
  
"I will. I promise." It was the only promise he ever made her that he couldn't keep.  
  
Lessa woke up some hours later with the vague feeling that something was wrong. Sirius wasn't home yet. That was bad. She dressed and was about to leave when there was a knock on the door. She opened it. "Oh, hello Minister. Won't you please come in?"  
  
"Yes, Ms. Whitecrow, for a moment. I'm afraid I bring bad news."  
  
"What bad news is that, Minister?"  
  
"Lily and James Potter are dead."  
  
Lessa collapsed. Lily and James. . .dead? It didn't fit! But if. . .Peter. . .He HAD been the spy! He'd betrayed them. . .Wait, the Minister was still talking.  
  
". . .in Azkaban, of course."  
  
"What was that, Minister, I'm sorry."  
  
"It's quite all right. I said, we caught the culprit. He's going to be thrown into Azkaban."  
  
"The. . .the culprit, Minister?"  
  
"Yes, Sirius Black of course. You should have known that."  
  
"Yes, Minister, I should have." She knew it was useless to argue. There was absolutely no way she could convince him Sirius was innocent. Besides, she couldn't argue when she was in shock.  
  
"I'm sorry to tell you Peter Pettigrew has perished as well."  
  
"What?"  
  
"Yes, he tried to catch Black all by himself. Unfortunately, Black was too much for him. Black murdered him and twelve Muggles. Those poor people." He sighed. "I must go, Ms. Whitecrow. Oh, Voldemort has been defeated and the Potters' son is going to be raised by his only living relatives, his aunt and uncle."  
  
"Not the Dursleys?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Oh, Minister, couldn't I. . .?  
  
"I'm sorry, Lessa. No. Everyone knew you were with Sirius Black, were close to him. People aren't going to really trust you. If I could, believe me, I would."  
  
"Yes Minister. Thank you."  
  
"Yes. I'll see myself out."  
  
Lessa simply sat and cried for everything she had lost. Lily, James, Sirius, Harry. . . Everything that had ever mattered to her. Sirius was going to Azkaban and she couldn't stop it, even though he was innocent. Lily and James were dead, and she couldn't bring them back. Harry was off to live with those horrid Dursleys, and she wasn't allowed to care for him. . .  
  
From the description the Daily Prophet gave the next day of the murder of twelve Muggles and a wizard, she could piece together what had happened well enough. Peter had known Sirius would do what he could to bring him to justice. He had sobbed out for the whole street to hear that he'd killed Lily and James, and used his wand, which he'd had hidden, to blow up everything within a certain radius of himself. Then he'd cut off his own finger to make himself look dead and turned into a rat and gone down into the newly opened sewer. Knowing that didn't help, though. Peter was still at large, Lily and James still dead, Harry still with the Dursleys, Sirius still in Azkaban. She sat down and cried again.  
  
For years, Lessa did her best to get legal custody of Harry. She proved she wasn't evil, repeatedly, proved she was mentally stable, repeatedly, and proved it was what Lily and James would have wanted, repeatedly. They said they'd do what they could, since she was such a well-respected Auror.  
  
Finally, when Harry turned 10, they managed it. She got custody of him. She could take him away from those evil people. She stepped up to the door of Number Four Privet Drive and knocked on the door.  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"Are you Vernon Dursley?"  
  
"I am."  
  
"I'm Elizabeth Whitecrow and I'm here for Harry."  
  
He stared for a moment. "Harry?" he said, recovering. "There is no Harry here."  
  
"Yes, there is. Harry Potter." She pulled out some documents. "I am now his legal guardian. I'm here to take him home."  
  
He stared for another moment. "PETUNIA!" he called. "Get the boy. Make him pack. He's leaving."  
  
Lessa heard a shriek of delight and laughter from a pudgy boy she assumed was their son. It didn't matter. What mattered was Harry. A few moments later a boy stepped out. Even if they had just passed briefly on the street, she would have known him. She bit back a sob. Not trusting herself to speak, she beckoned him towards the car she had taken.  
  
Forty-five minutes into the three-hour ride, she decided he deserved some explanation. "Harry, my name is Elizabeth Whitecrow, but you're to call me Lessa. I'm your new legal guardian. Sorry it took so long."  
  
"It's ok," he said. He looked like he was bursting with questions.  
  
"You can ask me anything you like," she informed him. "You'll find I'm nothing like those Dursleys."  
  
"Well, that's good," he said. He was silent for a moment while trying to figure out what to ask first. "Why are you my legal guardian? I mean, the Dursleys are my only living relatives, right?"  
  
"That's right. They are. I'm. . .I'm your godmother. I was supposed to take care of you if anything. . .happened to your parents or. . .godfather."  
  
"This is painful for you isn't it?"  
  
"Just memories, that's all."  
  
"Oh. How did my parents die?"  
  
"That's a long story. First you need to know something about yourself. You're a wizard."  
  
"I'm a WHAT?"  
  
That hadn't gone over well. She'd figured it wouldn't. "A wizard. You can perform magic with a wand and spells and stuff. It's actually quite common. Your parents were a witch and a wizard, and I'm a witch."  
  
"Really? Can I see?"  
  
"Uh, sure. What do you want to see?"  
  
"Can you make birds come out of your wand?"  
  
"Sure." She pulled out her wand, mumbled the incantation, and birds came out.  
  
"Cool! So they were a witch and a wizard, huh?"  
  
"Yes. Now for the rest of that story. There was an evil wizard some years ago. He went as bad as you could go. He looked for followers and found them. Some were scared, some spelled, some just wanted power. Anyway, one night the wizard, Voldemort his name was, he came over by where you all were living. He. . .He used a real powerful curse on your mom and dad. They didn't survive. That left you. He tried to kill you, Harry, heaven knows he tried. But he couldn't. No one knows why. So you're still alive, with only that scar, and you're famous. Things are gonna change for you Harry. I promise."  
  
"So, you knew my parents?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"What were they like?"  
  
"Well, your father looked exactly like you with brown eyes instead of green. The green were your mom's. He was really sweet, always smiling, always trying to make people laugh. Very smart too. Your mom was a beauty. Gorgeous red hair perfectly accented by exquisite emerald eyes. She was so sweet, always ready to lend a helping hand with anything. She was also very intelligent."  
  
"Oh."  
  
"Of course, you'll be going to Hogwarts. . ."  
  
"What's that?"  
  
"A school for witches and wizards."  
  
"Oh. . .I won't have to see Dudley?"  
  
She laughed. "You won't have to see Dudley."  
  
"Okay then."  
  
A few hours later, they arrived at Lessa's home. She woke Harry up.  
  
"Harry. Harry! Wake up!"  
  
"Wha? I'm up. . .breakfast in fifteen, promise!"  
  
"No, Harry. We're here. Welcome home."  
  
"Oh. Thanks!"  
  
"Come on in. I can't stay long, but I daresay you'll be all right for a few hours?"  
  
"Yeah. Where are you going?"  
  
"To work, of course. How do you think I eat?"  
  
After a quick tour and having shown him his room, she left for a while to check on some Dark activity she'd heard rumors of. The Ministry seriously didn't pay her enough.  
  
The next few years passed quietly enough, aside from what happened at Hogwarts. It was always an adventure there. In Harry's fourth year, though, Dark activity skyrocketed due to Voldemort's resurrection (damn Wormtail!!!!!), so she was out and about a lot. Harry didn't mind. It was better than the Dursleys. She did her best. She knew about Sirius. Everything was okay.  
  
During his fifth year, he walked into Defense Against the Dark Arts class and there was no teacher. The new one hadn't been at the star-of-term feast. No one knew who it was. Maybe there wasn't one.  
  
The class sat down and a few minutes later, the most gorgeous woman any of them had ever seen walked in. It was. . .  
  
"LESSA!" Harry burst out.  
  
"You know her?" Ron asked, incredulous.  
  
"Yeah, she's my godmother and guardian."  
  
"And your professor of Defense Against the Dark Arts! I'm Professor Lessa Whitecrow."  
  
The class burst out babbling for a few minutes. Lessa waited it out. "I'm sorry. I don't know most of you. I only know Harry because I take care of him." Many envious glares went his way. "I'm going to start by taking attendance." She quickly ran through the names, glancing up to see who was answering to what name.  
  
"Ok," she began, "I'm not going to be very good at this. My normal occupation is Auror, but Professor Dumbledore seems to think I'd be good here, so. . ." She grew silent for a few minutes, staring hard at something. The class wondered what was going on. Suddenly she lunged, straight at Neville Longbottom, who jumped up screaming. When Lessa stood, she held a rat. "Okay, class dismissed for the day." The students were incredulous. They'd never been let out this early before. "Oh, go on. I have some business to attend to."  
  
Lessa quickly walked up the stairs and to Professor Dumbledore's office. "Professor?" she called softly, placing the rat she'd found in her pocket.  
  
"Ah, yes. Lessa. I was wondering if you'd be up to see me."  
  
"Yes, Professor," she replied. "I regret I must leave for a time. I have things to take care of. Dark Wizards are always my priority, next, of course, to Harry."  
  
"Of course. Have a safe trip."  
  
I wonder how he knows these things. As they say, Dumbledore is a genius. Sometimes I wonder if he can't read minds too. These thoughts and more were plowing through Lessa's mind as she mounted a broom and headed off the headquarters of the Ministry of Magic.  
  
After the three-hour trip that kills, Lessa stepped off her broom and into the entrance hall of the Ministry of Magic. Overly garish, if you asked her. It was a Ministry, for cripes' sake! Not a fricken' art exhibition!  
  
She walked into the Minister's office. No one stopped her. Everyone knew her. Everyone knew it was important when she didn't slow down at all.  
  
"Minister! I have proof that Sirius Black is innocent of all crimes he was convicted of!"  
  
The Minister was silent for a moment, incredulous, then he burst out laughing. "Oh, Lessa, wonderful joke. You always seem to lighten the mood. Thank you, ever so much!"  
  
"On the contrary Minister. I'm perfectly serious." She grinned as she realized what she had said.  
  
"All right, then, Lessa," he said kindly, "prove your case."  
  
"My proof is this." She plunked the rat down on the desk.  
  
"My dear," said the Minister, trying valiantly not to laugh, "that is a rat."  
  
"I know. Observe." She muttered the spell to make an Animagus resume his or her normal form. Before their eyes, the rat transformed into Peter Pettigrew. The Minister stared open-mouthed. Finally, he gained his wits back to the point where he got someone to come and question the man. A few hours later, the announcement was made to the press. Sirius Black was innocent of all charges. The real culprit had been found.  
  
Sirius stared at the newspaper, disbelieving the headline before him. Then he read the article and knew he should have known. Lessa. . .He longed to see her again. It had been far too long. He missed her so. Remus helped him make himself presentable, then he went off in search of the love of his life.  
  
Lessa sat in her office, working on grading the papers that she had collected. The Gryffindors gave excellent work. The Ravenclaws showed wonderful understanding of the material. The Hufflepuffs seemed determined to do well, and they did. The Slytherins were idiots. End of story. There was no excuse for this kind of abysmal failure. They were stupid lazy little brats. Especially this one. Who. . .Ah. Draco Malfoy. She should have known. He was that spoiled little rich kid whose father belonged in Azkaban.  
  
What was that? She looked around, fairly certain she was alone. What had that sound been? She shrugged. It was probably the wind. A hand slipped over her mouth. She whirled, taking her chair with her, ready to beat the living daylights out of whoever was attacking her. She looked up and saw Sirius's eyes shining with laughter. "Why you little. . ."  
  
He burst out laughing then. She fumed for a while, then went back to her papers.  
  
"Hey, Lessa?"  
  
"Yeah?" she replied without taking her eyes from her work.  
  
"Thank you."  
  
"You're welcome."  
  
"Okay, well, I don't see you enough, so I'm gonna stick around, ok?"  
  
"Whatever." After a few more minutes, she gave up. She couldn't concentrate. He was there, he wasn't wanted, and it had been so long. She swung around and kissed him. "I missed you," she whispered, tears filling her eyes.  
  
He slid his arms around her. "I missed you too. I love you, so much. I never stopped thinking about you. Even in Azkaban. Though I couldn't help but think about how I'd never stopped torturing you, you were never far from my thoughts."  
  
"You have no idea. . .I was alone. For years. They wouldn't let me take Harry. They said I was too close to you. I missed you, Lily, James. . ." She finally let out fifteen years worth of tears.  
  
"Shh, love, I'm never going to leave you again. Never. I promise." Fortunately, he was able to keep that promise.  
  
A few years later, Lessa, Sirius, and Harry were living together happily. Remus popped in and out. Lessa had gone back to being a full time Auror, much to Sirius's chagrin, and Sirius took up the Defense Against the Dark Arts teaching job, much to Harry's, Ron's, and Hermione's joy. They were all happy that he was free and all.  
  
Lessa was sitting at home, alone. She'd just gotten home and Sirius and Harry were at school. She had some paperwork to finish, she hated it but it needed to be done, nut was interrupted by a knock on the door. She sighed and got up to get it. She opened it. "Hel. . ." The word died on her lips.  
  
"Hello, Lessa," one of the two figures said.  
  
"It can't be," she said and fainted clean away.  
  
She woke up a few hours later and looked around groggily. A masculine figure was standing over her. "Oh, Sirius," she said, "I had the weirdest dream! I dreamed I was taking care of some of that damn paperwork and Lily and James showed up at the doorstep! All real and everything! Isn't that weird?"  
  
"Sure, sugar, if you say so," said a teasing voice that really wasn't Sirius's.  
  
"Holy crap!" she said. "It wasn't a dream?"  
  
"No, Less, it wasn't. Don't get up," James told her. "Lily has me under strict orders that you're to rest. She says you're overworking yourself."  
  
"Screw what Lily says. I have to get a hold of Sirius and Harry. And you have some explaining to do. When I've done all I need to, you can tell me and I'll relax. Okay?"  
  
"Okay, but Lily isn't gonna like it."  
  
"Oh well! Since when have I listened to a doctor, James?"  
  
"Since never, but I thought. . ."  
  
Lessa sighed and went to work. First she wrote a letter to Sirius and told him to tell Harry. Then she wrote Professor Dumbledore. Then she wrote the Minister. Then she walked back into the kitchen to see how they were doing on supplies. When she was alone, she had a tendency to forget to shop and eat. Imagine how surprised she was to find Lily in there unpacking groceries!  
  
"Oh, Lessa, you're supposed to be resting!"  
  
"Since when have I listened to a doctor, Lils?" The two women embraced tearfully. "By the way," Lessa continued, "thanks for. . ."  
  
"Don't. It's nothing. I'm just glad you're alive, with the Auror stuff you do."  
  
"I'm fine. It's easy. In about ten seconds, Sirius is going to come bursting through that door, Harry and Professor Dumbledore and Remus in tow." She then proceeded to count down.  
  
Half an hour earlier. . .  
  
"Sirius! You've an owl!"  
  
"Oh, thank you, Professor McGonagall." He'd never be able to call her by her first name. It was too weird. He opened his owl and looked at it. Lessa. What would she. . . WHOA!!!! She couldn't be serious? He ran to show Professor Dumbledore, who already knew, having an owl from Lessa as well. He ran to tell Harry. The he shot off to tell Remus. Then he ran to tell Professor McGonagall that he, Harry, Remus, and Professor Dumbledore would be taking a trip. Then he collected Harry and went off.  
  
Half an hour later. . .  
  
"Three. . .Two. . .One. . ." Sure enough, at exactly the time Lessa had predicted, Sirius burst through the door, closely followed by Harry, Remus, and Professor Dumbledore.  
  
"Wow, Less, nice!" commented Lily.  
  
"Oh my god. . ." Sirius was speechless.  
  
"Hold up!" Lessa said. "Sirius? Speechless? Never thought I'd live to see the day!" That cracked everyone up. Harry had a joyful reunion with his parents. Lessa had a joyful reunion with Sirius and Remus. Good times for everyone, all around.  
  
Afterwards, Lily and James told their story. They had cast illusions to make Voldemort THINK he had killed them, while they changed into their animal forms and run for it. They had, of course, made sure Harry was all right first. Lessa went off for an hour and came back with guardianship forms. Of COURSE Lily and James were getting Harry back. They spent joyful times catching up on lost years and missed experiences. James and Sirius were at it again, making more trouble than Fred and George Weasley. Eventually, that same year, Voldemort was taken down once and for all. There was finally peace for all.  
  
The End 


End file.
